Korea's KF-21 fighter jet achieves first supersonic flight
A prototype of the KF-21 Boramae flies over Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province, Tuesday. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration said the fighter jet surpassed Mach 1 during the flight. Courtesy of DAPA By Kang Seung-woo The KF-21 Boramae, the nation's first domestically developed fighter jet, successfully flew at supersonic speeds for the first time, Tuesday, the state arms procurement agency said. Securing supersonic capability is a major part of the project as it means key functions work smoothly irrespective of flight speeds.According to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), the prototype of the 4.5-generation fighter jet surpassed Mach 1 at an altitude of 40,000 feet at 3:15 p.m. after it took off at the third Flying Training Wing of the Republic of Korea Air Force in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province at 2:58 p.m. The warplane landed at 3:54 p.m. after flying over the country's southern waters.Since its first test flight in July 2022, three prototypes of the aircraft, manufactured by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), have flown over 80 times at speeds of
Jan 17, 2023By Kang Seung-woo
